Modern spine surgery often involves the use of spinal implants to correct or treat various spine disorders or to support the spine. Spinal implants may help, for example, to stabilize the spine, correct deformities of the spine, facilitate fusion, or treat spinal fractures. Typical spinal implants may include rigid (i.e., in a fusion procedure) support for the affected regions of the spine. They either limit movement in the affected regions in virtually all directions (for example, in a fused region).
Fusion or rigid implants typically use longitudinal rods to support parts of the spine. The rods usually do not provide much protection against torsional forces or movement. To address that concern, cross-link devices have been used. The conventional cross-link devices, however, suffer from disadvantages, such as limited range of motion (to allow the surgeon to adjust the implant to the patient's needs and anatomy), a relatively large number of fasteners to adjust, etc. A need exists for a variable cross-link or transverse connector that addresses those deficiencies.